Packaging of ampoules and other articles



Aug. 12, 1958 A. J. BOSSI PACKAGING OF AMPOULES AND- OTHER ARTICLES Filed Nov. 30, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR V ATTORNEY l Aug. 12, 1958 A. J. BOSS! 2,

PACKAGING OF AMPOULES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Nov. 30, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .24 A M 22 I MMMZ 24 '/M .7 JWATTM R N EY Aug. 12, 1958 A. 4. E0551 PACKAGING 0F AMPOULES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Nov. 50, 1955 I 4 Shee ts-Sheet 3 INVENTOR- Azfiesa 3053/ ATTORNEY.

Aug. 12, 1958 A. J. 50581 ,8

PACKAGING OF AMPOULES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Nov. 50. 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 H In I u jm /29 INVENTOR. D) ,44F/P50 J. 5055/ ATTORNEY:

United States Patent PACKAGING 0F AMPOULES AND OTHER ARTICLES Alfred J. Bossi, Bottmingen, Basel-Land, Switzerland, as-

signor to Ronagra Etablissement, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, a corporation of Liechtenstein Application November 30, 1955, Serial No. 549,991

Claims priority, application Switzerland December 8, 1954 19 Claims. (Cl. 53--35) This invention relates to process and apparatus for inserting in corrugated receivers ampoules, vials and other such articles of the type having a neck-end of reduced diameter or size as compared with the base end. The corrugated receivers may be of the type shown in my United States Patent 2,525,202 granted October 10, 1950, and consist of regularly spaced juxtaposed compartments, each having a restricted receptive top opening and sides which snugly engage and hold the sides of the articles. The invention will be hereinafter described in connection with the packaging of ampoules, but it will be understood it is not limited theretobut includes packaging of vials and other articles.

Prior to this invention the packaging of ampoules has presented many difliculties due to the necessity of aligning the ampoules so that the neck-ends of all ampoules are in the same relative position within the package and also due to the fragile and delicate character of the ampoules. Heretofore it was the general practice to manually insert each ampoule in the corrugated receiver, so that all ampoules in the completed package had their neckends at one and the same end of the package. This is a time consuming operation involving excessive labor costs.

To the best of my knowledge and belief, prior to this invention, no equipment was known for arranging the ampoules to dispose them with the neck-ends all pointing in the same direction and to insert the thus arranged ampoules automatically in a corrugated receiver of the type hereinabove described.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a process and apparatus for so arranging the ampoules with the neck-ends all pointing in the same direction and to package the amopules in a corrugated receiver automatically with consequent saving of time and labor.

It is another object of this invention to package ampoules in corrugated receivers automatically, simply and efficiently with minimization, if not elimination, of injury or damage to the ampoules.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.

In accordance with this invention the ampoules which are arranged heterogeneously in a container, such as a hopper, are 'fed in a linear direction and are aligned automatically in one or more rows, so that the base end of all amopules is in the leading position in the direction of movement. The ampoules thus aligned are fed to the compartments of a corrugated receiver and inserted there- In one embodiment of this invention, each row of ampoules is fed on to a conveyor on which they are arranged in groups with the longitudinal axes of the ampoules of each group at an angle, other than a right angle, to the direction of movement of the conveyor and the ampoules of each group disposed in substantially parallel relationship, i. e., the amopules are positioned in groups with each amopule of the group disposed obice liquely on the conveyor. The conveyor carries the groups of ampoules thus disposed to a chute, so designed as to guide each ampoule in its movement therethrough so that the ampoule cannot move to reverse the relative position of the base and neck-ends. This chute delivers the ampoule on to a corrugated receiver which has been automatically moved into position. The movement of the corrugated receiver and the feed of the ampoules from the chute are synchronized so that each compartment or pocket of the receiver is brought into position to receive an ampoule when the latter is discharged from the chute. Means are provided for insuring the proper insertion of the ampoule within the compartment of the corrugated receiver. The filled corrugated receiver is then moved away from the discharge end of the chute for insertion into a carton or for other manipulation to complete the package.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and showing, for purposes of exemplification, preferred forms of this invention without limiting the claimed invention to such illustrative instances,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a preferred embodiment of this invention for aligning the ampoules in rows with the neck-ends of all the ampoules in each row disposed at the top of the ampoule and the base end disposed in the leading position in the direction of movement of the ampoules, and also showing the ampoules grouping mechanism and and the amopule conveyor;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the ampoule grouping mechanism for arranging the ampoules in groups on a conveyor with this mechanism positioned to interrupt the movement of the ampoules from the aligning mechanism, this view is on a larger scale than the scale of Figure 1; I

Figure 2A is a perspective view of the ampoule grouping mechanism of Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a view of the ampoule grouping mechanism similar to Figure 2 but showing the mechanism in position to permit the flow of the ampoules from the ampoule aligning mechanism to the ampoule grouping mechanism;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one embodiment of this invention;

Figure 5 is a view showing a side elevation of the ampoule conveyor and the corrugated receiver conveyor, and shows a vertical section through the ampoule delivery chute which receives the ampoules from the ampoule conveyor and discharges them on to the corrugated receivers;

Figure 5A is a fragmentary vertical section through a corrugated receiver;

Figure 6 shows the hopper containing nested pairs of corrugated receivers, the base of this hopper is shown in vertical section, this figure also shows a portion of the corrugated receiver conveyor;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view' showingthe mechanism for arranging the corrugated receivers on the corrugated receiver conveyor so that all receivers have their receptive top openings disposed at the top of the receiver, in ampoule receiving position;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section, and shows a modified form of apparatus for aligning the'ampoules in rows with the neck-ends of all the ampoules in each row disposed at the top of the ampoule and the base end disposed in the leading position in the direction of movement of the ampoules and also shows a portion of the corrugated receiver hopper, corrugated receiver feed chute, corrugated receiver conveyor, the ampoule conveyors and the ampoule chute for feeding the ampoles from the last of the ampoule conveyors to a corrugated receiver on the corrugated receiver conveyor;

Figure 9 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, as compared with the scale of Figure 8, of the ampoule conveyor which feeds the ampoule to the ampoule aligningmechanism;

Figure 10 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale as compared with the scale of Figure 8, of the ampoule conveyor for feeding the ampoules in aligned position and also shows a portion of the ampoule conveyor which feeds the ampoules to the ampoule chute;

Figure 11 is a plan view of the ampoule conveyor for feeding the ampoules to the ampoule chute and shows such conveyor provided with side guides;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary vertical section through the corrugated receiver feed chute and also shows a side elevation of a portion of the corrugated receiver conveyor; and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary vertical section through the corrugated receiver feed chute and shows the mechanism for effecting feeding of the corrugated receivers from this chute on to the corrugated receiver conveyor so that all corrugated receivers are positioned on this conveyor with the restricted receptive top openings dis posed at the top of the corrugated receivers.

Referring first to Figure a, this figure shows one form of corrugated receiver constituted of spaced juxtaposed compartments 21 suitably formed of flexible material, such as paper, adhesively secured to a suitable backing 22 which maybe of cardboard or other material. Thus, for example, the paper may be bonded to the backing 22, as disclosed in my Patent 2,525,202, to form spaced juxtaposed compartments 21 each having a restricted receptive top opening 23 and sides 24 which are designed to frictionally engage and exert pressure on the sides of the ampoules positioned therein to firmly hold them in place. As the structure of such corrugated receivers is well known, it is believed further description thereof is unnecessary.

Referring now to Figure 1, 25 is a hopper for receiving a heterogeneous arrangement of ampoules 26, each having a neck or top 27 of reduced diameter or size, as compared with its base 28. The base of hopper 25 desirably consists of an endless moving belt 29 passing over guide rollers 31, one or more of which may be driven by an electric motor (not shown) or other suitable drive to effect movement of the belt 29 in the direction indicated by the arrows on Figure 1. Belt 29 has the forward portion 32 thereof inclined downwardly. Suitably mounted above the portion 32, are a series of spaced guide. plates 33 (Fig. 4) leading from discharge opening 34 of the hopper 25 to near the discharge end of belt 29 as shown in Fig. 1. The guide plates 33 in effect define a plurality of parallel paths 35 open at their tops for the flow of a plurality of rows of ampoules. While the ampoules in each row are disposed longitudinally, i. e., parallel to their axes, either the neck end or base end may be the leading end of the ampoule. In other words, the ampoules are not aligned with the neck ends of all of the ampoules in each row pointing in the same direction.

A vibrator 36 of any well known type is positioned beneath the conveyor belt 29 to effect feed of the ampoules from the hopper 25 through the discharge opening 34 on to the inclined discharge portion 32 of the conveyor. Desirably a second vibrator 36' is also disposed beneath the inclined portion 32 of the conveyor. The vibrators 36, 36 function in known manner to insure movement of the rows of ampoules along the conveyor belt thereabove. To prevent the ampoules from being discharged or moved upwardly out of their paths 35 a series of guide pins 37 are mounted above each row. These guide pins limit upward movement of the ampoules in their passage through the paths 35.

Disposed in longitudinal alignment with the inclined portion 32 of the conveyor belt and just below the discharge end of this belt as shown in Fig. 1, is an ampoule feeding device 38, desirably in the form of a table 39 having a series of side guide plates 41 disposed to provide a plurality of parallel feeding chutes 42 aligned with the paths 35. Receiving end 43 of this feeding device is positioned just below and spaced from the discharge end of the inclined portion 32 a distance such that an ampoule cannot fall through this space.

Positioned directly above the space between the discharge end of inclined portion 32 and the receiving end 43 is a tipping device 44. One such device is provided for each path 35. Tipping device 44 comprises a plate 45 pivoted at 46 and having its forward edge 47 positioned, as shown in Figure 1, so that if the neck-end of the ampoule is the leading end, the neck-end engages the forward edge 47 and rides up on plate 45, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The weight of the ampoule resting on plate 45 is sufficient to cause this plate to move about its pivot 46 in a direction indicated by the arrow 48. The ampoule on plate 45, when thus moved, gravitates downwardly on to the receiving end 43 of the feeding device 38. The ampoule is thus turned so that its base, end is the leading end in the direction of movement of the ampoules.

Should the ampoule fed by conveyor 32 have the base end leading, this base end will not engage the forward edge 47. The weight of the larger diameter base end will cause this end to drop slightly when it is no longer supported by the conveyor belt 29, thus the base end of the ampoule will move beneath edge 47 of plate 45 on to the feeding device 38. Feeding device 38 desirably is provided with a vibrator 49 of any well known type which insures movement of the ampoules downwardly through this feeding device. Guide pins 51 are suitably mounted above each of the feed chutes 39 to maintain the ampoules within the chutes 39 as they are moved therethrough in rows with the ampoules in each row properly aligned, as shown in Figure 1.

Disposed contiguous to the delivery end 52 of the feeding device 38 is an ampoule receiver 53. This receiver has a downwardly inclined face 54 (Figure 1) on which is suitably mounted a series of side guide plates 55 (Figure 4) which are disposed at an angle other than a right angle relative to the guide plates 41 of the feeding device 38. Guide plates 55 thus define parallel paths 56 each arranged to receive an ampoule from the chutes 42 and to dispose this ampoule obliquely, rather than in a straight line direction, as they are positioned within the chutes 42, as shown in Figure 4. Each chute 56 on receiver 53 is of a length to receive one ampoule. The receiver 53' thus functions to form a group of ampoules usually equal in number to the number of paths 56, which, it will be noted, is equal to the number of chutes 42 with the ampoules of the group arranged substantially parallel to each other and obliquely to the direction of movement of belt conveyor 57. As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4, receiver 53 is mounted directly above the right marginal portion (viewing Figure 4) of one end of the conveyor 57. This conveyor passes over suitable guide rolls 58, one or more of which may be driven to effect movement of the conveyor belt 57.

Receiver 53 constitutes the ampoule receiving portion of the ampoule grouping mechanism shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. Cooperating with the receiver 53 is a gate member 59 suspended from a rod 61 which is pivoted at 62 to one end of a lever 63. Lever 63 is pivoted on a support 64 intermediate its ends and has its other end pivoted as at 65 to a support 66 which carries ampoule grouper 67. Ampoule grouper 67 consists of a back plate. 68 from which extends side guides 69 defining compartments 71, which, as best shown in Figure 4, extend obliquely to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 57 and in longitudinal alignment with the. paths 56 of the receiver 53.

Gate member 59, when in the position shown in Figure 2, acts as a stop for the ampoules and prevents their discharge from the paths 56 of receiver 53. Lever 63 is operated by any suitable mechanism (not shown) to periodically raise the gate member 59 and lower the ampoule grouping member 67. When this takes place a vibrator 72 is actuated to effect movement of the ampoules along the paths 56 so that they enter the compartments 71, as shown in Figure 4. This vibrator may be electrically actuated and its energization effected by closing a switch, which closing takes place whenever lever 63 is moved to the inclined position shown in Figure 3, in which position the ampoule grouping mechanism 67 is disposed to receive the group of ampoules from the receiver 53. Upon return of the lever 63 to the horizontal position shown in Figure 2, the switch may be opened so that operation of the vibrator 72 is interrupted.

It will be understood the showing of the ampoule grouping mechanism is illustrative and that instead of a gate member 69, as shown, a separate stop may be provided for each of the paths 56. Also that any desired number of ampoules may be grouped obliquely, as shown, relative to the direction of movement of the conveyor 57. It will be appreciated that the exact number of ampoules in the group is not important. Accordingly, if one or more of the paths 56 are left empty with consequent non-filling of the aligned compartments 71 of the grouping mechanism 67, this in no way interferes with the operation of this machine.

The function of the grouping mechanism is to arrange a number of the ampoules in substantially parallel position will all neck ends pointing upwardly, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, and with the longitudinal axes of the ampoules disposed obliquely relative to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 57. In this way injury or damage to the ampoules is minimized, if not eliminated. Disposition of the ampoules in side-byside abutment results in the sides of the ampoules striking and rubbing against each other as they are moved by the conveyor belt with possible injury to them. On the other hand, when the ampoules are arranged obliquely as shown in the drawings, should any accidental movement take place, point contact will occur with consequent minimization of damage or injury to the ampoule. Also with the ampoules arranged obliquely there is little or no tendency for any of them to be reversed so that the neck-ends no longer point in an upward direction, as shown in the drawings, because, should accidental movement take place, with the oblique arrangement shown, the tendency is for two ampoules to strike at one point and be returned to their original position. On the other hand with the ampoules arranged with their sides in abutment there is a markedly greater tendency for accidental movement of the ampoules to cause one or more of the ampoules to be moved, so that the neck-end no longer points in the desired direction. For these reasons the oblique grouping of the ampoules on the conveyor 57 is important.

Conveyor 57, as shown in Figure 5, delivers the ampoules to the mouth or inlet 73 of an ampoule delivery chute 74, the interior side walls 75 of which are provided with projections 76. These projections 76 interrupt the fall of the ampoules through the chute 74 and also prevent side turn of an individual ampoule, i. e., reversal of the neck and base ends. They insure fall of the ampoules through the chute 74 with the neck ends remaining pointed in the same direction.

Disposed at the discharge end 77 of chute 74 is a reciprocable gate 78 which controls the discharge of ampoules from the chute 74. This gate may be mounted for reciprocatory motion in suitable bearings 79 and actuated by a linkage mechanism 81. Actuation of the gate 73 is synchronized with movement of corrugated receiver conveyor 82 which is operated intermittently to move a corrugated receiver step-by-step so that each of the compartments 21 is momentarily disposed beneath the discharge end 77 of the chute 74. The gate 78 when opened permits the lowermost ampoule to gravitate on to the restricted receptive top opening 23. The gate 78 is then moved to act as a closure for the discharge end of chute '74. For example, electrical control mechanism may be used to effect movement of the corrugated receiver conveyor in timed sequence with that of the gate 78 to permit one ampoule to drop as an empty compartment of a corrugated receiver is disposed therebeneath. Projections '76 on the interior of the chute, which projections slow the downward gravitational movement of the ampoules and in effect space them, aid in the control of the discharge of the ampoules from the chute in that they provide the necessary time interval between successive ampoules to prevent the discharge of a successive ampoule until an empty compartment of a corrugated receiver is in place to receive such successive ampoule. It will be appreciated that gate 78 can be operated by a selenium cell, electromagnetic or other control so that as each ampoule moves downwardly it controls the opening of gate 78, the gate immediately closing and this control being in circuit with an electrical control for the feed of the corrugated receiver so that gate 78 is not actuated unless an empty compartment of a corrugated receiver is in position to receive an ampoule.

Disposed adjacent chute 74 is a vertically reciprocable member 83 movable in suitable guides 84. Member 83 is actuated to engage each ampoule and move it in a downward direction through the restricted receptive top opening 23 so that the sides of the ampoule are snugly engaged by the sides 24 of the corrugated receiver. In other words, the ampoules are moved from the position indicated by reference character A in Figure 5 to that indicated by the reference character B by the reciprocable member 83.

Corrugated receiver conveyor 82 is an endless belt mounted to travel over suitable guide rolls 85, one or more of which may be driven. One end of this belt passes under a corrugated receiver hopper 86 in which the corrugated receivers are disposed nested in pairs, i. e., the compartments 21 of one receiver have the side walls 24 of the superimposed receiver disposed therein. In this way a maximum number of corrugated receivers of the desired size to receive a predetermined number of ampoules may be disposed in the hopper 86. Hopper 86 has its discharge end 87 positioned above the conveyor belt 82 a distance such that a pair of nested receivers is engaged by the belt 82 and carried thereby from the hopper 86 to the station shown in Figure 7, where the pair of nested receivers is separated by corrugated receiver positioning mechanism 88. This mechanism comprises a hook 89 pivoted at 91 to a movable support 92 which is arranged to be actuated at regular timed intervals so that the hook 89 engages forward edge 93 of the superimposed corrugated receiver C and to lift this edge, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7, to turn the receiver about point 94 as a pivot, to cause the upper corrugated receiver to fall fiat on the upper runof belt 82, as shown in Figure 7, with the hacking 22 resting on this belt.

The corrugated receivers thus properly positioned on the upper run of belt 82 with the restricted receptive top openings of all receivers disposed at their tops are moved, as hereinabove described and shown in Figure 5, into position to receive the ampoules. When each corrugated receiver has received a charge of ampoules, the charged receiver is moved by the belt 82 to a subsequent station (not shown) for further handling, e. g., insertion into a carton, etc.

It will be appreciated that hopper 86 is disposed at one end of conveyor 82, that this conveyor then moves the corrugated receivers through the corrugated receiver positioning mechanism, shown in Figure 7, and from Figure 7 the conveyor 82 moves the properly positioned receivers beneath the discharge end of chute 74.

' The apparatus may be provided with a suitable control for insuring that the labels in each ampoule are positioned in the corrugated receiver with the label portion exposed to view.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figures 8 to 13, inclusive, 95 is a hopper for receiving a heterogeneous arrangement of ampoules 26. A conveyor belt 96 on which the ampoules rest forms the base of this hopper. Movement of this conveyor belt effects the discharge of the ampoules on to a support 97 provided with longitudinally extending channels and disposed beneath a rotating brush 98. These channels are of a width to receive the ampoules with their axes disposed longitudinally with little clearance between the sides of the channels and the sides of the ampoules. This rotating brush cooperates with these channels to align the ampoules in a general longitudinal direction by frictionally engaging the tops of the ampoules and move them into and through the longitudinally extending channels in which their axes are disposed parallel or near parallel to the direction of movement of the ampoules over the support 97.

Communicating with discharge end 99 of the support 97 is a conveyor 101, shown in perspective in Figure 9.

This conveyor consists of a continuously moving belt 102 above the upper run of which is mounted a number of channel defining members 103 which are carried by fixed supporting members 104 secured to the frame of the machine. Members 103 are shaped to provide a plurality of zig zag channels 105 each having an enlarged receiving end 106, an intermediate zig zag or curved portion 107 defined by contiguous inclined portions of the channels which make sharper angles to each other than the portions forming the discharge end 108 of the channels 105. With the channels 105 shaped as shown in the drawings, linear movement of the ampoules takes place at a greater rate towards the discharge end than at the inlet end of the channels. Channels 105 may be suitably shaped, to provide the desired speed of movement of the ampoules. For this purpose the side walls defining them may be made of sections each adjustably mounted so that the angular portions of the channels may be varied as desired to give the desired speed of movement to the ampoules as they are fed by the conveyor 102 to the tipping mechanism 109.

Mechanism 109 may be of the same general type as shown in Figure l of the drawings. Communicating with the tipping mechanism 109 is a guide chute 110 divided by side guide plates 111 into a number of chutes equal in number to the number of channels associated with conveyor 101. Thus, each channel feeds a row of ampoules first to the tipping mechanism 109, where those ampoules which have the neck-ends leading are reversed. Hence in their movement through the chute 110 the base end of all ampoules lead.

The rows of ampoules, which rows are equal in number to those formed on conveyor 102 with all the ampoules having their base ends leading gravitate through chute 110 on to a conveyor 112, which is shown on an enlarged scale in perspective in Figure 10. This conveyor 112 consists of a conveyor belt 113 having mounted thereabove fixed guide plates 114, 115 and 116 suitably supported by fixed supports 117 mounted on to the framework of the machine. Guide plates 114, 115 and 116 define two zig zag paths 119 and 121, respectively, for the feed therethrough by the conveyor belt 113 of the ampoules with the base ends of the ampoules leading in the direction of movement through these channels. As in the case of the conveyor of Figure 9, the guide plates 114, 115 and 116 may be composed of adjustable sections to change the angles of the respective portions of the paths 119 and 121, thus controlling the rate of feed of the ampoules. It is important that discharge ends 122 and 1230f the paths 119 and 121 be shaped as shown,

. .8 so that the ampoule leaving each of these paths is turned somewhat and is discharged in a direction indicated by arrows 124 and 125, respectively, on Figure 10. The discharge of the ampoules takes place on to a slatted conveyor 126, slats 127 of which are spaced from each other a distance such as to receive therebetween with little clearance an ampoule disposed with its axis substantially parallel to that of the slats.

With the apparatus shown in Figures 8 to 10, inclusive, two rows of ampoules are discharged from the paths 119 and 121 positioning the ampoules thus discharged between the slats 127 of the slatted conveyor 126. It will be appreciated that this discharge of the ampoules from both paths 119 and 121 is not simultaneous or concurrent so that, as a general rule, only one ampoule will be disposed between each pair of slats. The function of conveyor 101 is to control the speed of the ampoules and to align them in a substantially longitudinal direction and feed them to the tipping mechanism 109. Conveyor 112 receives the ampoules all with their base ends leading and cooperates with the zig zag paths 119 and 121 of conveyor 112 to space the ampoules so that only one ampoule is fed to each pair of slats 127 on the conveyor 126. The adjustable guideways defining the paths 119 and 121 are suitably adjusted to effect such feed.

Slatted conveyor 126 may be in the form of a belt conveyor having the slats 127 suitably spaced thereon, the belt travelling over conveyor pulleys 128, one or both of which may be driven; As shown in Figure 11, side guides 129 are mounted on suitable supports 130, the guides 129 being so spaced that they gradually converge from the feed end 131 of the conveyor to the discharge end 132. At the discharge end 132 the guides are positioned apart a distance approximately equal to the width of ampoule chute 133 which may be of the same construction as the chute 74 hereinabove described. In this way the ampoules positioned on the conveyor 126 are moved by the guides during the movement of the conveyor so that when they reach the discharge end of the conveyor they are disposed directly above the month 134 of the chute 133 in a position to gravitate through this chute, their movement therethrough being controlled by interior projectings 135. Should more than one ampoule be disposed in the space between a pair of contiguous slats 127, the side guides 129 effect removal of such ampoules into adjacent empty slats so that each pair of slats feeds only one ampoule to chute 133. Flow of the ampoules through the discharge end of chute 133 may be controlled by reciprocating gate 136, which as hereinabove described in connection with gate 78 of chute 74, controls the feed of the ampoules so that they are fed only when an empty compartment of a corrugated receiver is in position to receive the ampoule. These corrugated receivers are fed to end 138 of conveyor 137 from a chute 139 desirably inclined, as shown in Figures S, 12 and 13 of the drawings, to the vertical. Chute 139 communicates at its top with a hopper 140 in which pairs of corrugated receivers are disposed on edge in nested position, as clearly shown in Figure 8.

Base of hopper 140 desirably consists of a continuously moving conveyor belt 141 on which the nested pairs of corrugated receivers rest. As belt 141 is actuated in a direction indicated by the arrows, it moves a pair of nested receivers into the top of chute 139. A reciprocating pusher 142 is preferably provided for up and down movement to force during the down movement, a pair of nested receivers downwardly towards the base of the chute 139.

The lower portion of chute 139 is provided with a discharge opening 143 of a length equal to that of the length of the corrugated receiver with a small clearance to permit the left-hand corrugated receiver, viewing Figure 12, to pivot about its lower edge and fall on the conveyor belt 137, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 12. When this happens, the other corrugated receiver D of the pair gravitates to the position shown in Figure 13. Due to the inclined mounting of the chute 139, the forward edge 144 moves away from the back of the chute 139 to approximately the position shown in Figure 13, in which position the corrugated receiver D cannot fall towards the left, viewing Figure 13, so that it will be discharged on to the belt 137 in inoperative position, i. e., with the restricted receptive top openings resting on belt 137. Opening 143 is of a length to prevent such movement of receiver D. Cooperating with base opening 145 of the chute 139 is a reciprocating pusher member 146 which is operated in timed sequence to engage the lower edge of the corrugated receiver D and force it outwardly from the base of the chute 139, so that it rests on the moving belt 137. As this belt moves, the corrugated receiver D is discharged with its backing resting on the conveyor belt and with the restricted receptive top openings disposed upwardly, as clearly illustrated in Figure 13. It will be understood that the chute 139 is adjustably mounted so that the angle at which it is disposed to the vertical may be adjusted, if necessary or desired, to obtain the feed of the corrugated receivers as hereinabove described.

From the ampoule discharge chute 133 the belt 137 carries the filled corrugated receivers beneath rotating roller 148 which desirably is disposed at the discharge end of the conveyor 137. Roller 148 engages the ampoules and forces them downwardly so that they are properly positioned within the compartments. The corrugated receivers thus filled With the ampoules may be moved by belt 137 or another conveyor belt to a suitable station Where the resultant assembly is wrapped or packaged.

It will be noted the present invention provides a novel procedure and automatic mechanism for packaging ampoules and other such articles, with all ampoules of each package having their neck and base ends in the same relative position within the package, and this simply, efiiciently and economically.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process and in the ampoule packaging apparatus set forth, which embody the invention, may be made Without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It will be appreciated that in the interests of clarity of illustration, standard and recognized parts such as the framework of the machine and conventional drive mechanism, the addition of which would only unnecessarily complicate the drawings, have been omitted from the drawings. Also in connection with the tipper plate 45, the spring or other mechanism for returning it to its original position after discharge of an ampoule therefrom has not been shown for the same reason. Top guide pins (not shown), similar to guide pins 37 above paths 35, may be provided for paths 56 of receiver 53 and above other paths of movement through which the ampoules move including chutes 111 and channels 105, 119 and 121.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for packaging ampoules and similar longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, a hopper for containing said articles in heterogeneous arrangement, means for feeding said articles with their axes extending in their general direction of movement, means for tilting such of the articles thus fed which do not have the desired ends disposed leading so that all articles are arranged with the same ends leading in the direction of movement, a chute, means for feeding the articles thus arranged to said chute, means for feeding a corrugated receiver having article receiving compartments in position relative to the discharge end of said chute, means for feeding articles through said chute with the successive articles thus fed disposed at right angles to their direction 10 of movement through said chute, and means for discharging the articles from said chute into said compartments.

2. A machine for packaging ampoules and other longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, hopper means for containing said articles disposed hetero geneously relative to the disposition within said hopper of the neck and base ends of said articles, means for feeding said articles with their axes extending in their general direction of movement, means for tilting such of the articles thus fed which do not have the base ends disposed leading so that all articles are arranged with the base ends leading in the direction of movement, a delivery chute, means for feeding the articles thus arranged to said chute through which the articles are fed with the articles extending longitudinally and with their axes at right angles to their direction of movement through said chute and the base end of all of said articles occupying the same relative position Within said chute, means for feeding a corrugated receiver having article receiving compartments in position beneath the discharge end of said chute to receive the articles discharged therefrom with the axes of said articles extending in a direction parallel with the length of said compartments and with the articles disposed on the tops of said compartments, and means for feeding said articles into said compartments.

3. The machine for packaging articles, as defined in claim 2, in which the chute is provided with interior projections to control the flow of articles therethrough and to prevent tilting of the articles to reverse the relative position of the base and neck ends of said articles as they move through said chute.

4. A machine for packaging ampoules and other longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, hopper means for containing said articles disposed heterogeneously relative to the disposition within said hopper of the neck and base ends of said articles, means for feeding said articles with their axes extending in their general direction of movement, means for tilting such of the articles thus fed which do not have the base ends disposed leading so that all articles are arranged with the base ends leading in the direction of movement, a delivery chute, means for feeding the articles thus arranged to said chute through which the articles are fed with the articles extending longitudinally as they move through said chute and the base ends of all of said articles occupying the same relative position Within said chute, means for feed ing corrugated receivers comprising a hopper containing said receivers arranged in pairs with article-receiving compartments of one member of each pair positioned within the article-receiving compartments of the other member of said pair, means for feeding said corrugated receivers, means for disposing each of said pair of corrugated receivers on said corrugated receiver feeding means so that the article-receiving compartments are positioned at the tops of the receivers, and means for feeding said corrugated receivers thus positioned beneath the discharge end of said chute to receive the articles discharged therefrom.

5. A machine for packaging ampoules and other longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, hopper means for containing said articles disposed heterogeneously relative to the disposition within said hopper of the neck and base ends of said articles, means for feeding said articles with their axes. extending in their general direction of movement, means for tilting the articles comprising a pivoted member positioned relative to the means for feeding articles from the hopper so that the extremity of the pivoted member permits the passage of the base ends of the articles therebeneath but said extremity is engaged by the neck ends of the articles so that said articles containing said neck ends ride up on the pivoted member and the articles are thus tilted about the extremity of said pivoted member to cause the base ends thereof to become the leading ends in the direction of movement of said articles, a delivery chute, means for feeding the articles thus arranged to said chute through which the articles are fed with the articles extending longitudinally as they move through said chute and the base ends of all of said articles occupying the same relative position within said chute and means for feeding a corrugated receiver having article-receiving compartments in position beneath the discharge end of said chute to receive the articles discharged therefrom.

6. The machine for packaging articles as defined in claim 2, which has means for feeding a plurality of rows of articles with the axis of each article of each row disposed in the general direction of movement of the articles and a tilting member is provided for each row of articles.

7. A machine for packaging ampoules and other longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, hopper means for containing said articles disposed heterogeneously relative to the disposition within said hopper of the neck and base ends of said articles, means for feeding a plurality of rows of articles from said hopper means with the axis of each article of each row disposed in the general direction of the movement of the articles, a tilting member for each row of articles for tilting such of the articles thus fed which do not have the base ends disposed leading so that all articles are arranged with the base ends leading in the direction of movement, a delivery chute, means for arranging the articles in groups with the articles of each group disposed obliquely relative to their direction of movement, means for feeding the articles thus arranged to said chute through which the articles are fed with the articles extending longitudinally as they move through said chute and the base ends of all of said articles occupying the same relative position within said chute and means for feeding a corrugated receiver having articlereceiving compartments in position beneaththe discharge end of said chute to receive the articles discharged therefrom. t

8. A machine for packaging ampoules and other longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, a hopper for containing said articles arranged heterogeneo'usly relative to disposition of the neck and base ends of said articles, a conveyor at the base of said hopper on which conveyor said articles rest, said conveyor having a downwardly inclined discharge portion, spaced plates positioned above said discharge portion to define a series of paths for the flow of said articles therethrough, a downwardly inclined article feeding member positioned with its receiving end spaced from the discharge end of said paths a distance such that an article cannot fall through this space, and a tipper positioned with its forward edge above said space, the said forward edge being positioned to be engaged by the neck ends of said articles when said neck ends are leading in the direction of movement of said articles and to permit the passage therebeneath of the base ends of said articles.

9. A machine for packaging ampoules and other longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, a hopper for containing said articles arranged heterogeneously relative to disposition of the neck and base ends of said articles; a conveyor at the base of said hopper, on which conveyor said articles rest, said conveyor having a downwardly inclined discharge portion; spaced plates positioned above said discharge portion to define a series of paths for the flow of said articles therethrough; a downwardly inclined article feeding member positioned with its receiving end spaced from the discharge end of said paths, a distance such that an article cannot fall through this space; a tipper positioned with its forward edge above said space, the said forward edge being positioned to be engaged by the neck ends of said articles when said neck ends are leading in the direction of movement of said articles and to permit the passage therebeneath of the base ends of said articles; an article grouper disposed to receive the articles from the discharge end of said article feeding member, said grouper comprising a downwardly inclined support on which said articles are 12 disposed in a group in side-by-side relation, means for receiving the group of articles from said support, means for interrupting the movement of said group of articles from said downwardly inclined support to said group receiving means, and means for moving said interrupting means and said article receiving means so that the interrupting means are moved out of the path of movement of the group of articles and the articles are received by the group receiving means; a conveyor for moving said group of articles from the group receiving means; a chute with which the discharge end of said conveyor communicates; and means for feeding corrugated receivers having article receiving compartments beneath the discharge end of said chute.

10. The machine for packaging articles as defined in claim 9, in which the article group receiving means is arranged to position the articles on said conveyor for moving said group of articles so that all articles in said group have their axes substantially parallel and with said articles arranged obliquely to the direction of movement of said conveyor.

11. The machine for packaging articles, as defined in claim 9, in which the means for feeding the corrugated receivers having article receiving compartments comprises a container for said corrugated receivers in which said receivers are disposed in pairs in superimposed relation with the receivers of each pair positioned with the compartments of one member of the pair disposed Within the compartments of the other member of the pair, means for feeding a pair of such receivers from the base of said container and hook means disposed above said feeding means for engaging one end of the uppermost member of the pair and tilting it about the opposite end so that it is positioned on the corrugated receiver feeding means with its compartments disposed at its top.

12. A machine for packaging ampoules and other longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combination, a hopper for containing said articles heterogeneously arranged relative to the disposition of the neck and base ends of said articles, a conveyor for feeding said articles from said hopper, a support for receiving the articles from said conveyor, a rotary brush disposed above said support and arranged to engage the tops of said articles to position them in a generally longitudinal direction, a second conveyor for receiving the articles from said support, a tipper disposed close to but spaced from the discharge end of said second conveyor for tipping such of said arti cles fed thereto which do not have the desired end disposed leading so that all of said articles are arranged when they leave said tipper with the same relative end leading in the direction of movement, a third conveyor for receiving the articles from the tipper and for feeding the articles initially with their axes disposed in a generally longitudinal direction and in the movement of said articles by said conveyor for positioning the articles so that their axes extend transversely to the said longitudinal direction, a fourth conveyor having pockets extending transversely to the direction of movement of said fourth conveyor for receiving the articles from said third conveyor, a chute positioned at the discharge end of said fourth conveyor for receiving the articles discharged therefrom, said chute having projections on the interior wall thereof for controlling the movement of said articles therethrough, a corrugated receiver container, a corrugated receiver conveyor, means for feeding corrugated receivers from said corrugated receiver container to said corrugated receiver conveyor, said corrugated receiver conveyor moving said corrugated receivers beneath the discharge end of said chute, and means for inserting said articles discharged .from said chute on to said corrugated receivers Within the compartments of said receivers.

13. The machine for packaging articles as defined in claim 12 in which the corrugated receiver container has the corrugated receivers disposed therein resting on their edges and arranged in pairs with the compartments of 13 the corrugated receivers of each pair nested, a chute having its upper portion communicating with the discharge end of said corrugated receiver container for receiving a nested pair of said receivers, said pair moving downwardly through said chute, the base of said chute being provided with an opening of a length to permit the forward corrugated receiver of the pair to fall about its lower edge as a pivot so that it falls on said receiver conveyor with its compartments disposed at its top, and means for moving the lower edge portion of the other corrugated receiver of the pair through said opening so that it also is positioned on said corrugated receiver conveyor with the compartments therein disposed at its top.

14. The machine for packaging articles as defined in claim 12 in which the second and third conveyors are provided with spaced guide plates defining zig zag channels through which the articles are moved.

15. The method of packaging ampoules and similar articles which comprises feeding said articles in heterogeneous arrangement relative to the disposition of the neck and base ends thereof, tilting such of the articles which do not have the desired end leading about its center 180 to reverse the ends thus arranging the articles so that they all have the same relative end leading in their direction of movement, feeding the articles thus arranged onto the successive compartments of a corrugated receiver so that the articles rest on the top of said compartments with their axes parallel with the length of the said compartments and moving said articles into said compartments.

16. The method of packaging ampoules which comprises feeding the ampoules in heterogeneous arrange ment relative to the disposition of the neck and base ends thereof in a plurality of rows, tilting such of the ampoules in each row which do not have the base ends leading about its center 180 to reverse the ends thus forming rows in each of which all the ampoules therein have the base ends leading in the direction of movement of the rows, forming groups of ampoules from the said rows, moving said groups with the ampoules in each of said groups arranged side-by-side and obliquely relative to the direction of movement of said groups to a chute, and moving successive ampoules of each group through said chute into the compartments of a corrugated receiver to fill each compartment of said receiver with an ampoule.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 in which receivers having spaced juxtaposed compartments are moved in timed sequence with the discharge of said ampoules from said chute to position each compartment beneath the chute as an ampoule is discharged therefrom so that 14 said ampoule rests on the top of said compartment and thereafter the ampoule thus resting on the top of said compartment is moved into said compartment.

18. The method of packaging ampoules and similar articles which comprises feeding the articles in hetero geneous arrangement relative to the disposition of the neck and base ends thereof in a plurality of rows, tilting such of the articles in each row which do not have the base ends leading about their center to reverse the ends, thus forming rows in each of which all of the articles therein have the base ends leading in the direction of movement of the rows, forming groups of articles from the said rows, moving said groups with the articles in each of said groups arranged side by side and obliquely relative to the direction of movement of said groups to a chute, and moving successive articles of each group through said chute into the compartments of a corrugated receiver to fill each compartment of said receiver with an article.

19. A machine for packaging ampoules and similar longitudinally elongated articles comprising, in combina= tion, a hopper for containing said articles in heterogeneous arrangement, means for feeding said articles with their axes extending in their general direction of movement, means for tilting such of the articles thus fed which do not have the desired ends disposed leading so that all articles are arranged with the same ends leading in their direction of movement, a chute, means for feeding corrugated receivers having article-receiving compartments in position below the discharge end of said chute with the receivers disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and having the mouth-ends of said article-receiving compartments in position to receive said articles, means for feeding articles through said chute with the axes of said articles disposed at right angles to their direction of movement through said chute and with the articles leaving said chute disposed on the mouth ends of said articlereceiving compartments with their axes extending in a direction parallel With the length of said compartments, and means for feeding said articles into said compartments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,406,176 Vergobbi Aug. 20, 1946 2,428,103 Vergobbi Sept. 30, 1947 2,647,670 COX Aug. 4, 1953 

